By Jocelyn Turner
Amherst Daily News
AMHERST – Track and field nationals will be taking place in Charlottetown this year and one Cumberland County resident will be competing for a medal.
“I started in grade seven and I loved it,” said Stephen Belyea, the only Nova Scotia team member from Amherst going to the competition. “I always liked running so I figured I’d try it and really liked it. I like the competition and my friends being there.”
Belyea attended a meet where members for the Nova Scotia team were drafted. He said he was required to accomplish a certain distance in the long jump and triple jump in order to join the team.
“For the triple jump, which I’m going for, it was 12 metres and 80 centimetres and for the long jump, it was six metres and 14 centimeters.”
He said his personal best in the triple jump is 12 metres and 90 centimetres.
Belyea has never been to Charlottetown before and is excited and nervous for the competition.
“It’s a week. There’s going to be some coaches who have been to the Olympics and that kind of stuff,” he said. “So just really good coaching and we’ll get to sight-see a little bit then have three days of competition.”
Although there has been no official word of whether or not there will be Olympians present during the youth competition, Belyea is hoping to meet the P.E.I. sprinter Jared Connaughton.
“I was watching him. He seemed really good.”
Belyea said he hopes to become recognized by different schools during his trip to the Island.
“I think it will be a really good experience.”
staffreporter@amherstdaily.com
